Self-Driving Cars Will Really Take Off In 5 Years

Self-driving cars are the next big thing in the automotive industry: Tesla's Model S is gaining some "autopilot" functionality early next year, and Google is also looking to partner with car manufacturers to bring its own driverless car to market within the next five years. But despite the excitement surrounding self-driving cars, don't expect to see too many on the road anytime soon.

Based on Frost & Sullivan estimates charted for us by BI Intelligence, there will be about 180,000 self-driving cars shipped globally by 2020. The market research firm adds that "you are likely to commute in autonomous cars" by 2025, which is a pretty bold statement considering that's only a decade from now.

There are still several obstacles to self-driving technology: First and foremost, the California Department of Motor Vehicles is expected to miss its 2015 deadline to adopt self-driving car regulations, according to the AP, mainly because regulators are worried a self-driving car won't be able to handle all kinds of rare events and possibilities that happens on the road. Another big issue: Most driverless cars cease to function without maps and GPS, which means they need a data connection to work.